Venetian blind bottom rail bracket



Jan. 14,136. w. w. ZINGG VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM RAIL BRACKET Filed March 11, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. l V/W/am 11 Z1 ATTORNEY.

2&2 7,570

Jan. 34, 11936. w. w. ZINGG VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM RAIL BRACKET Filed March 11, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' TTORNE).

Jan, 14, 1936 W, ZINGG 2,027,570

VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM RAIL BRACKET Filed March 11, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 W/V/AW uz/1 4 jfvm ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE' 2,027,570 VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM RAIL BRACKET William W. Zingg, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Columbia Mills, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 11, 1935, semi No. 10,393 9 Claims. (cl. 156-17) Another object of the invention is to provide simple, practical, and economical means for detachably securing the bottom rail of the blind in adjusted set position so that the blind will not swing in and out with strong, air currents, and which in no manner interferes with the angular adjustment of the blind.

A further object is to provide a bottom rail securing means which is simple and easy to operate, which can be attached when the blind is being manufactured or after it has been placed in use, which will not mar the window casing or: frame with which it contacts, and which is of neat and pleasing appearance.

Othc; objects, advantages, and features of invention will appear as from the accompanying drawings and the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims;

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a view of a Venetian blind hung in a window opening, with my, improved stop device mounted thereon, the bottom rail being shown in two different positions.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged part sectional view of the bottom rail.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the bottom rail showing the pin in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is an end view.

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view showing a bracket designed for application by dealers or users after the blind has left the factory, and

Fig. 6 is an end view thereof.

Fig. '1 is an isometric view of the locking clip.

Fig. 8 is an edge view showing the bottom rail with a modified form of stop device.

Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view.

Fig. 10 is an end View.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the modified construction.

the head rail. Ladder tapes H! are secured to the tilt rail and accommodate the spaced slats Hi, the end of the tape being secured to the bottom rail I6 and on which the improved mechanism is mounted.

The blindproper together with the mounting and means for tilting, raising and/or lowering is of the conventional type and forms no part of the present invention which is directed to the mechanism for. securing the bottom rail at 10 certain desired elevations in the window opening so that it will hang and be held in vertical alignment with the head rail and not be swung by strong winds or storms and thus become damaged and scratched, as well as jamming, scratch- 15 ing, and/or marring the finish of-the window frame.

In the one embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, I have shown the device inserted in a recessfllipro- 2o vided in the end of the bottom rail. This comprises a preferably cylindrical plunger l8 shouldered as at [9, and a fiat end plate 20 is mounted on the end of the bottom rail and is provided with a centrally disposed opening adapted to ac- 25 commodate the outer reduced end section 2| of the plunger, spaced apart openings 22 being provided in said plate, and accommodate screws 23 for securing the plate to the end of the bottom rail.

A coil spring 24 is inserted in the recess l1 and is interposed between the end of the opening and the shouldered section IQ of the plunger and normally 'tendsto force the plunger outwardly for engagement with a window casing or $5 the side wall of the opening in which the blind is hung.

The outer end section H of theplunger I8 is turned as at 25, and a rubber cap or tip 26 is mounted thereon, this cap contacting with 40 the window casing when the device is set, and assures, a firm gripping action which will not manthe finish of the casing. During the normal operation of the blind, this plunger i8 is retracted as shown in Fig, 3 of the drawings and and does'not engage the window casing, being held in retracted position by means of a clip 21!, said clip being formed witha centrally disposed opening 28 adapted to accommodate the section, M of the plunger. v

The 'clip 2? is formed as clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, being bent as shown at 2%, .the end section til being reduced and is inserted in a slotted opening 3! provided in the end plate 29,. the extreme end .being again bent so that 65 the clip cannot become displaced; the opposite free end of'the clip is slightly turned, so that it can be readily actuated by the operator, and as the plunger is forced inwardly and the pressure released, the spring 24 in turn forces the plunger outwardly, this also carries the free end of the clip outwardly and causes it to bind the plunger l8 and hold it in retracted position, release being effected by pressing inwardly on the free end of the clip, the spring 2| forcing the resilient tip firmly into engagement with the window frame.

A substantially similar arrangement is provided on the opposite end of the bottom rail; this, however, is not spring actuated, nor is it adjustable, serving merely as a bumper, it consists of the pin 32 having the plate 33 rigid thereon. It is also provided with a rubber cap or tip 26, and screws 23 serve to secure it in position. With this arrangement the adjustable plunger can be retracted by forcing the bottom slat endwise, and the plunger is then automatically locked in retracted position by the clip 21, and when it is desired to secure the bottom rail in a certain adjusted position, it is merely necessary to raise the bottom rail to desired position, press inwardly on the free end of the clip 21; this releases the plunger l8 which will be forced outwardly and into engagement with the window casing.

In Figs. and 6 of the drawings I have shown a slightly modified design which is adapted to be secured to the bottom face of the bottom rail; this can be attached after the blind has left the factory, either by the dealer or the Workman. and comprises a housing 34 formed with laterally projecting ears 35 in which the screws 36 are mounted. The plunger I8 is mounted in this housing and is also shouldered as at I9, and the spring 24 is interposed in the same manner, the outer end of the plunger projects through a suitable opening in the front wall of the housing, and is provided with a cap 26 which engages the window frame. Its operation is exactly the same, and the plunger is also looked and released in the same manner.

It will, of course be obvious that the spring actuated extendable plunger can be provided on both ends of the rail, and that various designs and shapes of housings and locking clips may be employed. This is, however, immaterial, as this invention is directed to' they broad combination, which makes it possible to set the bottom rail in any desired position.

In Figs. 8 to 11 I have shown another design adapted for-application either at the factory or after the blind is in service. This comprises the housing 31 formed of any desired material and shaped to present a neat and pleasing'appearance, a transversely disposed division plate 38 being provided in said housing, and a cover plate 39 forms a closure and is secured in position by means of screws 40 which engage lugs 4| in the usual manner.

A plunger 42 is slidably mounted in suitable opening provided in the end wall and division plate respectively of the housing, the inner end being bent upwardly as shown at 43 and projects through the slotted opening .4 provided in th cover, channels 45 being provided in the walls of the section 43 so that it freely engages the cover. the end of the slot being enlarged to permit assembly. A resilient tip 25 is mounted on the outer end of the plunger and engages the window casing or side wall as hereinbefore described.

A transversely disposed pin 46 is provided in the plunger 42 at a point intermediate its length, and the spring 24 is interposed between said pin and the end wall of the housing, said spring tending at all times to force the plunger to its 5 retracted position.

The plunger is held in set position by means of a clip 41, a lug 48 being provided on the division plate 38, and one end of the clip 41 is loosely secured thereto. This clip embraces the plunger 42, the free end being reduced and projects through a slotted opening 49 provided in the side wall of the housing, a spring 50 being interposed between the division plate and the clip to force said clip rearwardly and bind the .plunger to secure it in its set position, and when the free end of the clip 41 is moved to compress the spring 50, the plunger will be released and will move to retracted position.

. Openings 5| are provided in the bottom wall of the housing, and screws 52 serve to secure the housing to the bottom rail.

In practice these stop devices are mounted in position on the bottom rail, and when it is desired to secure the blind in a certain set position, the operator places the fingers of the hands on the projecting ends 43 of the plungers, forcing them outwardly until the resilient tips 26 firmly engage the side walls of the window opening. The bottom rail will then be held in its set position, and the blind will not swing, sway, or become dislodged by strong winds or air currents. Release is effected by moving the end of the clips towards the front ends of the housing, and the springs 24 force the plungers to retracted positions.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, economical and efilcient bracket for securing the blind in any desired position of vertical 0 adjustment, so that it will not swing and bang about when subjected to strong air currents in storms or other disturbances.

What I claim is:

1. A Venetian blind including a plurality of tiltableslats and a bottom rail, and adjustable means on the end of the bottom rail and engageable' with a window casing to hold the rail and slats in vertical alignment, and means for automatically and releasably securing the adjustable means in retracted position.

2. A Venetian blind assembly comprising a plurality of tiltable slats and a bottom rail, spring actuated means mounted on said bottom rail and engageable with a window casing for 55 holding the bottom rail in set position without interfering with the angular adjustment of the blind. and a clip for releasably securing said spring actuated means in retracted position.

3. A Venetian blind assembly comprising a plurality of tiltable slats and a bottom rail, a sprin actuated pin mounted on said bottom rail, and means en ageable with said pin for releasably securing it in retracted position.

4. A Venetian blind assembly comprising a s5 plurality of tilt-able slats and a bottom rail, a bum er mounted on one end of the blind, extendable means mounted on the opposite end of the blind and engageable with a window casing for holding the bottom rail in any set position of vertical adjustment, and a clip mounted on the rail and releasably engageable with said extendable means for holding it in set position.

5. A Venetian blind assembly adapted to be hung in an opening and comprising a plurality 5 actuated spring retracted plunger, and releasof tiltable slats and a bottom rail, a spring actuated plunger mounted on said bottom rail and engageable with the side wall of the opening, and a clip mounted on the rail and releasably engageable with said plunger for holding it in set position.

6. A Venetian blind assembly adapted to be hung in an opening and comprising a plurality of tiltable slats and a bottom rail, a bumper mounted on one end of said bottom rail, an extendable plunger on the opposite end, and provided with a resilient tip for engagement with the side wall of the opening for securing the bottom rail in any set position of vertical adjustment, and means engageable with said plunger for securing it iniiretracted position.

7. A Venetian blind having a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, and meansmounted on said bottom rail for holding it in any position of vertical adjustment, and including a manually able means for holding said plunger and releasable to permit said plunger to spring to retracted position.

8. A Venetian blind having a plurality of tiltable slats and a bottom rail, a housing mounted on said bottom rail, a plunger mounted therein and adapted to be shifted into engagement with a window casing, means for retracting said plunger, and a clip engageable with said plunger 10 for holding it in set position.

9. A Venetian blind having a plurality of tiltable slats and a bottom rail, a housing mounted thereon, a manually extendable plunger mounted in the housing and provided with a. resilient 5 tip for engagement with a window casing, means for forcing said plunger to retracted position, and a releasable locking clip for holding said plunger in set position.

WILLIAM W. ZINGG. 

